Farmhouse Media Console

What you will make

Build only the low console: two side cupboards, two adjustable center shelves and two flat plywood inset doors. There is no back panel. The finish illustration is a color suggestion, not a different construction.

Precision matters

This is an intermediate cabinet project. Dados are shallow channels that locate plywood panels; rabbets are channels open at an edge. Door rails are horizontal members; stiles are vertical members. Practice grooves, tongues and joints on offcuts first.

Choose hardware first

Obtain inset hinges for a 3/4 in (19.1 mm) thick door and face-frame cabinet before trimming doors. The door blanks match the nominal opening; trim to the selected hinge clearance and an even working reveal, not to a guessed gap.

Read drawings with the cut list

Illustrations explain shape and sequence; they are not scale templates. Two reference views show a raised-panel appearance. The build and cut lists here use the simpler flat plywood panel option throughout.

Knobs and optional bottom-front molding can project beyond the stated carcass. Check room access, equipment depth, cable bends and ventilation before cutting.

Shopping quantities allow a practical cutting layout with saw kerfs. Choose straight, dry poplar for a painted finish, or compatible stain-grade wood and veneered plywood. Measure actual sheet thickness before machining.

Hardware quantities are for this two-door console only. Buy the hinges, pins, doweling jig and pocket-hole system before machining their locations. Do not infer fastener length from an illustration.

Measure and mark

Use a tape, accurate square, marking gauge, sharp pencil, caliper and a long straightedge. Mark each part and its front, inside and bottom faces. Keep paired parts together.

Cut and machine

Use a supported track/circular saw or table saw for sheet goods; a miter saw or crosscut sled for solid stock. Use a router with guide or suitable dado setup for channels, and a safe jig for the door grooves and short rail tongues.

Drill and assemble

Have a drill/driver, doweling jig, pocket-hole jig, shelf-pin jig with depth stop, hinge installation tools, clamps and a brad/finish nailer or nail-setting tools. Use a flat assembly surface and protective cauls.

Work safely

Wear eye and hearing protection and suitable dust protection. Support both sides of each cut. Use guards, push blocks and featherboards as applicable; keep hands out of the cutter path. Unplug tools before setup changes. Never freehand short rail ends at a table saw.

Check actual thickness

Plywood trade thickness may differ from its label. The geometry assumes the stated thicknesses. Fit grooves to actual panels and recheck assembled spacing before cutting mating bottoms; do not blindly substitute thinner stock.

Sheet cutting allowance

One 1/2 in sheet can provide two 22 3/4 in (577.9 mm) wide strips for the five panels. Allow the blade kerf and trim rough edges first. Do not assume two cuts can share one uncut line.

Plan the 3/4 in sheet

Reserve the 62 × 23 1/4 in top first. A divider fits in the remaining length of that strip; the other divider and two shelves fit along the remaining sheet width. Confirm the actual sheet, grain direction and saw kerf on paper before ripping.

Solid-wood layout

The two 1×2 boards provide the 59 in rail, two 22 in stiles and two 18 in inner stiles. The 1×3 provides the 59 in bottom rail. Rip door stock to the actual 2 3/4 in width; a nominal 1×3 is too narrow.

Test before batch cutting

Use matching scraps to test dado fit, centered door grooves and rail tongues. Panels should slide into their channels without hammering. Preserve the thin web left between the opposed divider dados.

All values are finished actual sizes: length × width × thickness. Cut square ends. These parts form a 62 × 22 in (1574.8 × 558.8 mm) frame.

Opening check

Across the width: 1 1/2 + 16 + 1 1/2 + 24 + 1 1/2 + 16 + 1 1/2 = 62 in. Vertically: 1 1/2 + 18 + 2 1/2 = 22 in. Mark the inner stiles from these openings, not by eye.

Side/divider sizes are depth × height × thickness. Bottom, shelf and top sizes are width × depth × thickness. Lengths include the stated dado engagement.

Top depth

The plywood top is 23 1/4 in (590.6 mm) deep. Its 3/8 in (9.5 mm) front edging makes the finished depth 23 5/8 in (600.1 mm). Do not cut the plywood itself to the finished depth.

Cut edging slightly long, attach and trim flush. Check shelf edging depth against the available cabinet depth so the shelf front clears the face frame. The optional lower molding is decorative, not structural.

A × 2 · B × 2 · C · D · dowels and glue

Lay out the openings

Arrange the two outer stiles around the long rails. Place the two inner stiles between the rails to leave 16, 24 and 16 in (406.4, 609.6 and 406.4 mm) wide clear openings, each 18 in (457.2 mm) high.

Join and square

Use two dowels at each of the eight rail/stile joints, with the jig and dowels selected for the stock. Dry-fit first; keep joinery out of the later rear channels. Glue, clamp on a flat surface and compare both diagonals of every opening. Let the glue cure.

Completed face frame · test scraps

Cut the locating channels

Keep the better face forward. On the rear, cut all channels 1/4 in (6.4 mm) deep. At each outside vertical edge, make a 1/2 in (12.7 mm) wide open rabbet for an outer side. Cut a horizontal 1/2 in wide channel from 2 to 2 1/2 in (50.8–63.5 mm) above the bottom.

Locate the dividers

Cut two 3/4 in (19.1 mm) wide vertical channels, each flush with an inside edge of the 24 in center opening. Test with the actual panels. Never cut through hidden metal; this is why joint and channel locations must be planned together.

E × 2 · 1/2 in plywood

Keep the faces mirrored

Each side is 22 3/4 in (577.9 mm) deep and 22 in (558.8 mm) high. Mark the inside face and bottom of each piece.

Form the bottom seat

On each inside face, cut a 1/2 in (12.7 mm) wide dado, 1/4 in (6.4 mm) deep. Its lower edge is 2 in (50.8 mm) and upper edge 2 1/2 in (63.5 mm) above the bottom. Test the fit without forcing the panel.

F × 2 · 1/2 in plywood

Make a matched pair

Cut two bottoms, each 18 1/4 in wide × 22 3/4 in deep (463.6 × 577.9 mm). Keep the front edge square to the sides.

Check the dry fit

Each bottom enters the outer-side dado, the divider dado and the face-frame channel. Its width includes 1/4 in (6.4 mm) engagement at each side. Use the actual assembled spacing to verify the fit before glue.

G · 1/2 in plywood

Cut the wider panel

The center bottom is 24 1/2 in wide × 22 3/4 in deep (622.3 × 577.9 mm). It spans between the two dividers, unlike the narrower side-bay bottoms.

Confirm the span

The clear center width is 24 in (609.6 mm). Add 1/4 in (6.4 mm) dado engagement on each side to reach the panel width. Check square corners and clean, undamaged edges.

H × 2 · shelf-pin jig and selected pins

Machine a mirrored pair

Each divider is 22 3/4 in deep × 22 in high (577.9 × 558.8 mm). Cut the bottom dado on both faces as detailed next. The shelf-pin holes belong on the faces looking into the center bay.

Drill matching pin rows

Use two rows per inside face, about 2–3 in (50.8–76.2 mm) from the front and rear edges. Use one jig and the same bottom datum on both dividers. Set hole diameter and blind depth to the chosen pin; do not drill through. All four supports for a shelf must be level.

Divider close-up · H × 2

Keep both channels aligned

Each divider receives a 1/2 in (12.7 mm) wide, 1/4 in (6.4 mm) deep dado on each face. Both run between 2 and 2 1/2 in (50.8–63.5 mm) above the bottom.

Protect the central web

In 3/4 in (19.1 mm) stock, these cuts leave a 1/4 in (6.4 mm) web between them. Verify cutter depth on scrap and support the panel. Do not deepen both cuts to compensate for a poor fit.

J × 2 · M × 2 · eight shelf pins

Size and finish the front

Cut each shelf 23 3/4 in wide × 22 1/2 in deep (603.3 × 571.5 mm). Attach a thin solid-wood or molding strip to the front edge and trim it flush. Keep its top and bottom level with the plywood.

Check removable fit

The 23 3/4 in shelf width leaves clearance inside the 24 in center bay. Dry-fit on the selected supports without binding. Confirm the edged shelf clears the face frame and that every support seats fully.

K · L · glue and edging clamps

Distinguish panel and finished depth

Cut the plywood 62 × 23 1/4 × 3/4 in (1574.8 × 590.6 × 19.1 mm). The narrow front edging is 3/8 in (9.5 mm) thick and matches the 3/4 in edge height.

Make the edge flush

Glue the strip along the front, clamp with protected faces and allow it to cure. Trim its ends flush with the top. Sand the joint without thinning the veneer. Set the completed top aside until the carcass glue has cured.

E × 2 · F × 2 · G · H × 2 · face frame

Dry-fit before gluing

With the face frame supported face-down, seat the sides, dividers and three bottoms in their matching channels. The rear remains open. Verify that each bottom is seated and that rear bay widths equal the front widths.

Glue, clamp and secure

Apply glue in the joints, reassemble and clamp square. Use temporary spacers to maintain the rear spacing while the glue cures. Add 1–1 1/4 in (25.4–31.8 mm) brads or finish nails through plywood into the face-frame joint where safely contained. Do not fit the top yet.

K + L · J + M × 2 · pocket screws and pins

Fasten after the carcass cures

Add pocket holes at the top inside face frame and suitable 3/4 in divider locations. Put divider holes on the side-cupboard faces, hidden by the doors. Select jig settings and screws for the actual stock; test that screws will not pierce the top.

Complete the open-backed case

Align the top flush with the carcass sides and rear; the front strip projects forward. Drive the pocket screws without over-tightening. Install four pins per shelf and set both shelves in place. Optional lower-front molding fits flush with the cabinet sides and bottom.

Carcass reference · raised-panel appearance shown

Check the proportions

The low case has two side cupboards and three center openings formed by two adjustable shelves. The full width is 62 in (1574.8 mm); the top brings the height to 22 3/4 in (577.9 mm).

Use the selected door option

This reference shows a raised decorative panel. The following construction uses flat 1/4 in (6.4 mm) plywood panels instead. Do not copy the raised profile into the flat-panel cut list or add a back panel.

One-door reference · decorative profile only

Measure each opening

Each side opening is nominally 16 × 18 in (406.4 × 457.2 mm). Measure the actual assembled openings separately; confirm square corners before making the doors.

Plan the inset fit

The illustration is a raised-panel appearance reference. Use the flat-panel parts and joinery on the next pages. Their 16 × 18 in assembled blanks are trimmed to fit the actual opening and selected inset hinges.

For TWO doors. Rail and stile dimensions are length × width × thickness. Panel dimensions are height × width × thickness. These are assembly-blank sizes, before final inset fitting.

Verify the joint arithmetic

Each rail has a 3/8 in (9.5 mm) tongue at both ends. Its exposed length is 10 1/2 in (266.7 mm); adding two 2 3/4 in (69.9 mm) stiles gives a 16 in door width. Panel size includes the groove engagement.

Fit rather than force

Test the actual plywood in the grooves. Adjust the panel and joints for a smooth dry fit without bowing the frame. Do not glue the panel edges into the grooves; only the rail/stile joints receive glue.

P × 4 · practice offcut

Center the groove

Along the inside long edge of each stile, start the groove 1/4 in (6.4 mm) from a face. Make it 1/4 in wide × 3/8 in (9.5 mm) deep. In 3/4 in stock, this leaves equal 1/4 in cheeks.

Keep one reference face

Mark the door fronts and use the same machine reference for every piece. Run a test panel through the groove: it should seat smoothly without splitting a cheek. Do not round or sand the groove loose.

Q × 4 · same groove setup

Repeat the centered channel

Cut the same 1/4 in wide × 3/8 in deep (6.4 × 9.5 mm) groove along the inside long edge of every rail. Keep the reference face consistent with the stiles.

Read the end detail

Before cutting tongues, the short end is flat except for the small notch where the long groove exits. Support each short rail with a suitable jig; do not bring fingers close to the cutter.

Q × 4 · eight rail ends

Form equal shoulders

At each short end, remove 1/4 in (6.4 mm) from each broad face over a 3/8 in (9.5 mm) long shoulder. This leaves a centered tongue that enters the stile groove.

Tune the fit on scrap

The tongue should be just under 1/4 in (6.4 mm) thick so it slides into the groove without forcing. Take small test cuts, keeping shoulders square and both ends equal. The full rail length remains 11 1/4 in (285.8 mm), including both tongues.

R × 2 · 1/4 in plywood

Keep the panel flat

Cut each panel 13 1/4 in high × 11 1/4 in wide (336.6 × 285.8 mm). This is a plain flat plywood panel, not a routed raised panel.

Test all four edges

Dry-assemble each frame around its panel. The panel must enter all grooves without forcing the frame apart. Make small fit adjustments as needed for actual material. Keep glue out of the panel grooves.

P × 4 · Q × 4 · R × 2 · wood glue

Glue only the frame joints

Apply glue where each rail tongue joins a stile groove, not along the panel edges. Insert the flat panel and close the frame. Use protected clamps with opposing pads bearing on opposite outer edges.

Square and fit

Compare the door diagonals and adjust before the glue sets. Remove excess glue and allow the frame to cure. Dry-fit each door in its own opening; trim the outer edges only as needed for the chosen inset hinge thickness and an even operating gap.

Mark the hinge positions

Use two inset hinges on each door, located a couple of inches from the top and bottom as a starting position. Use the selected hinge instructions for exact setbacks, pilot holes, screws and any recessing. Verify screw length against the actual wood thickness.

Support the door while fitting

Hold the door at its intended reveal with temporary shims. Attach hinges using the manufacturer’s method, then open and close slowly. Check the hinge-side clearance, latch-side clearance and bottom edge. Make small adjustments rather than forcing a binding door.

Add one knob or pull per door

Select a location on the solid stile. Match paired handle positions and drill from a measured template with a backing block to limit tearout. Use bolts appropriate to the door thickness; tighten without crushing the wood.

Final moving-parts check

Both doors should open fully without rubbing the frame or each other. Each shelf must sit on all four supports and lift out without jamming. Remove temporary spacers and loose hardware before finishing.

Prepare the surfaces

Remove doors and hardware as needed. Fill nail holes and small gaps with a filler compatible with the planned finish. Allow it to dry, then sand through 120–150 grit. Remove glue residue and dust; avoid sanding through plywood veneer.

Apply a compatible finish

For paint, prime first and allow it to dry before painting. For stain, use the appropriate wood conditioner and stain system. Apply a compatible clear protective coat; a non-ambering water-based finish preserves pale paint. Follow product ventilation, drying and curing directions.

Reassemble and inspect

Refit the doors, hinges, pulls and shelves after curing. Check every joint and fastener, the full seating of shelf pins and the even support of the case on the floor. A loose or racking case is not ready for use.

Place safely

Use appropriate furniture and TV anti-tip restraints installed to the hardware maker’s instructions and actual wall substrate. Keep cords out of door paths and maintain equipment ventilation. Do not climb, sit or stand on the console or allow children to play inside.

Use within verified limits

No tested load capacity is specified. Confirm suitability for the actual equipment and shelf loads before use; keep heavy items low and distributed. Seek qualified assessment if a load is uncertain. Recheck hardware and joints periodically.